


Run the Seconds Down

by stardropdream (orphan_account)



Series: FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 and Nyotalia [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen, World Cup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-24
Updated: 2013-02-24
Packaged: 2017-12-03 10:13:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/697153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/stardropdream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The four teams that faced off in the semi-finals and their thoughts before and after the two games.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Run the Seconds Down

**MONCHENGLADBACH, GERMANY**  
 _United States_   
  
She swallowed, thickly, for the second time in about thirty seconds. She fidgeted, just once, before disguising the nervous tic by readjusting her headband, pushing her bobbed hair out of her eyes.   
  
“Relax. If you can kick Brazil’s ass, you can wipe the floor with France.”   
  
“I take great offense to that,” a heavily accented voice curled from behind her, and America jumped, turning around to see France smiling down at her, all curves and still managing to look gorgeous despite being minutes away from a World Cup semi-final.   
  
“Oh, France,” she said, unnecessarily, and then grinned. “Hope you’re ready to lose! You seemed kind of bored during warm-ups.”  
  
“Hm,” France said with a small sniff, and then a devilish little smile. Despite herself, America felt herself flush—  
  
And covered it up with a cocky grin of her own. “There’s no way I’m going to let you beat me of all people. If I can beat Brazil, I can beat you.”  
  
“We shall see,” France said, coy and smiling that low smile of hers. “I look forward to seeing your skills, _mon lapin._ ”   
  
The team was calling to gather, though, so before America could shoot back an insult or taunt, she trotted off to join her team—she breathed in deeply, feeling her heart pound in anticipation, but refusing to back down. Long, calm breaths. She could smell the scents of the stadium, and when she looked up at the crowd, she could see that thousands had come out to support _her_. Not France. America.   
  
And that warmed her more than she’d ever thought it would.   
  
  
\---  
  
  
 **FRANKFURT, GERMANY**  
 _Japan_   
  
The world seemed deathly silent, even though Japan knew that there were thousands of people up in the stands. She breathed in deeply, hands clenched tightly at her side. She blinked her eyes open and all she could hear was the pounding of blood in her ears.   
  
And then the lone chirp of a whistle. The ball soared through the air—  
  
The game had started.  
  
And she would end it. Calm, collected, she did not back down even as Sweden towered above her, tall, silent, and just as determined as she. But Japan had the heart, she had the support of her country pushing her forward—  
  
She would not lose. She refused to lose.   
  
Time seemed to hold still for half a second before her team was springing into action again, fighting the good fight, fighting for themselves, their country, and all the people cheering them on.   
  
In the front row of the stands, Japan could see three little girls in kimono and her heart warmed, understanding that, even so far away from home, she had her country’s support, she had all the warmth and love beating in her own heart—as ridiculous as it sounded, she understood.   
  
This was her fight, and she would win.   
  
  
  
\---  
  
  
 **MONCHENGLADBACH, GERMANY**  
 _France_  
  
France watched with only a twinge of amusement as America soared across the field, flinging herself into the growing pile of elated American players. France brushed the hair from her face with a bitter sigh.  
  
At least her girls had done better than her boys last year. Perhaps this would help muffle the embarrassment of their display. Most likely not, though. It was a bitter medicine to take, to know that her team had failed and, worse of all, the people in her country would most likely fail to notice the journey her women had taken.   
  
She turned away from the cheering, celebrating Americans, unable to quite congratulate them yet. She needed a moment to decompress, that was all. She closed her eyes with a bitter sigh before blinking them open and striding over to one of her women on the ground, comforting them the best she could—  
  
No words, for there could be no words. Just the squeeze of shoulders, arms, anything. There were no lifting speeches, no high of victory. Only defeat. But so it was with the beautiful game, and France understood that. And she understood that, despite it all, her women had done well. This was simply not their year.   
  
When she turned around to face the US team again, America was jogging towards her. She was still grinning like a loon, but France had expected as much. And when she approached her, hand outstretched, France took it in good nature and shook it.  
  
“Congratulations,” she said, and found that she did mean it. Her bitterness aside, she could recognize the happiness shining in America’s eyes, and understood that every team wanted this, of course they wanted it, and of course it meant something for them, something more genuine, in some ways, from the men.   
  
“Thanks,” America said, and meant it in return.   
  
  
\---  
  
  
 **FRANKFURT, GERMANY**  
 _Sweden_   
  
Sweden didn’t look up once the whistle blew for the end of the match. She had lost. She would fight for third place on Saturday and nothing more. She turned her face away quickly after shaking Japan’s hand.   
  
She strode towards the locker room without a second thought. Hearing the cheering was too much.   
  
Finland was standing in the tunnel leading towards the locker rooms. She looked up when Sweden walked in, and offered a small smile.   
  
“You did well,” she said, as way of comfort.   
  
Sweden nodded, tense, not sure if she believed it.   
  
“You were without your captain,” Finland said, kindly, understanding after centuries of acquaintance when Sweden wished to speak and when it was best for Finland to speak. She smiled warmly up at Sweden and took her hand, squeezing it tight. “You did the best you could. You’ve nothing to be ashamed of.”   
  
Sweden nodded again, and even managed a quiet grunt.   
  
“I cheered for you until the very end,” Finland said, and after she said it, Sweden noticed the way Finland’s voice sounded a bit hoarse.   
  
She nodded again, warmed slightly.   
  
  
\---  
  
  
 **SINSHEIM, GERMANY**  
 _Sweden and France_  
  
France sighed. Sweden didn’t say anything and, instead, merely gave France a side-long gaze. France sighed again, resting her chin her hand as she swirled her other hand along the lip of her wine glass.  
  
Then she raised it, not quite mockingly but not quite sincerely, and tipped it slightly in Sweden’s direction.  
  
“To the pain of defeat,” she said, with a small quirk of her lips. “May it become us.”   
  
Sweden grunted once, lifted her own glass, and tapped it against France’s. No words would console her tonight after the solid loss against Japan. But, all the same, she understood that, above all else, France understood her pain.   
  
  
\---  
  
  
 **FRANKFURT, GERMANY**  
 _United States and Japan_   
  
When America spotted her, she grinned and ran over to meet her. Japan bowed her head a little in greeting, but the formality was wasted on America, who wasted no time in sweeping her into a hug.  
  
“I was kind of hoping it’d be you I’d face!” she said, cheerfully. “Sweden’s kind of scary sometimes. Not to say you aren’t scary, either, sometimes, but—”  
  
“Thank you for your support,” Japan mumbled into America’s shoulder, her cheeks flushing bright pink.   
  
America pulled away from the hug with a wide grin, and then fisted her hand, holding it up for Japan to see.   
  
“Even if you’re my best friend, though, you should know—there’s no way I’m going to let you win,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. She held out her fist for Japan to bump. “Give it your all, but I’m not going to back down.”  
  
Japan blinked in surprise, before, almost embarrassingly, she smiled back—wide and open. She bumped her own fist against America’s, to pacify her.  
  
“The feeling is mutual, Miss America. I won’t back down.”   
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Notes:**  
  
\- The semi-final matches were as followed: US beat France 3-1, Japan beat Sweden 3-1. Sweden and France will face off on Saturday the 18th for third place. The World Cup Final will be held between Japan and the US on Sunday the 19th.   
  
\- France's bitterness comes from the fact that the country of France pays a great deal of attention to the male soccer players, but, not unlike many countries, hardly pays any attention to women's soccer. One of the French women posed naked in a magazine with the words, "Is this how we have to play for you to watch us?".


End file.
